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The storm has passed and thankfully we were not hit! We were one of the few who decided to stay and I’m glad that we did, but OMG did I get stir crazy!!! I didn’t mind that I was able to do a ton of work, but it’s only Wednesday and I’m pooped. I did a lot of work, I worked out, and we took drives for whenever I needed a break. YES, I am a workaholic, but it kept me sane during the storm…You know what else helps me stay sane?!?!?! You know the answer…a good sweat session!

As we say goodbye to summer, it is time to welcome in a new season with open arms, a positive outlook, and motivating fitness tips to start or continue your fitness journey through Fall. This is the perfect time of year to change things up...try new things...and challenge yourself to be the best version of you inside and out. Whether you are a veteran fitness junkie or you are wanting to take that first step into becoming more active, this post is all about helping you fall into FALL inspired and ready to GO FOR IT!

Sign Up For A Race - Even though I love the heat and humidity, a lot of people don't, so Fall is the perfect time to sign up for a race and to start training in the cooler temperatures. Watching the sunrise and seeing the leaves change in the early morning hours is the perfect way to start your day. Getting outside each day is a healthy way to get that Vitamin D, move your body, disconnect, and start your morning on the right foot.

There is a plethora of 5K's, 10K's, half-marathon, and marathon options for every level in every state. And for each kind of race, there are great training programs to help you get started. Each time I sign up for a half marathon, I like to print my training schedule and put it on my refrigerator so each day I can cross it off. Having a race to train for and look forward to, helps me stay motivated and disciplined. I believe having this kind of structure is good for anyone who wants to stay active through the Fall season.

Try A New Fitness Class - Everywhere you look there are new gyms, yoga, CrossFit, Orange Theory, and spin studios popping up and offering incredible deals to get you to join. So why not take advantage of it and TRY IT OUT! If you don't like it, who cares, you gave it a shot, now go try something else until you find something that works for YOU! And why not bring a friend or your partner to join in the fun too, that way you both can sweat it out together; have some fun; and keep each other accountable.

Confession - I have a love/hate relationship with SPIN. I used to honestly dread it, but I wanted and needed to add some more variety to my workouts. I needed to shake things up, so when I found out that there was a new spin studio less than 2 miles away from my condo it was a no-brainer. Method Ride is AWESOME! The studio is spotless, the teachers are kick-ass, they have a decent amount of classes, they offer daycare, and they have a killer selection of apparel. Each class is 45 minutes and they do some weight training with 3-pound weights, which I LOVE! It is a hard, fun, and an intense workout that trains your entire body and leaves me feeling pretty badass. WINNING! I even got the significant other to join too...BOOM! If you live in Mount Pleasant...COME JOIN ME!!!

Tackle This At-Home Workout -

If you are on a budget or not ready to do a workout in a gym, then here is a great workout that you can do anywhere. Do it while you watch the morning news...Take it to the park with some of your friends...Do it in your driveway. Not only can you do this anywhere, but you can also do it to fit your needs. Have more time? Keep going as long as you want. Want to challenge yourself? Add dumbbells to some of the moves. Watch the video to see how to do it and then tackle it and let me know how it goes.

HEY!!! Happy Hump Day Y'All!! I have got lots to share on this today, so why don't we just jump right into it. No need to dilly dally, because there's just too much good stuff to talk about. Today I am sharing things that I am currently loving this month, so check it out and then let me know what you are currently crushing on...ENJOY!

METHODRIDE - Let's ride!!! Finding a clean, fun, and affordable cycling studio that is only a couple of minutes away from home...WINNING! My relationship with spinning is EH...I love and hate it, but it's a quick and effective workout that gets the job done. I have been cycling at MethodRide for a little over a month now and I love it! Shannon has been coming with me as well and even signed up for a YEAR! Typically I try to take 3-4 classes a week. Each class is 45 minutes and includes killer music, a healthy mix of sprints and hills, and even some strength training, which I LOVE!

The teachers and the staff are friendly, fun, and professional. It just feels right, when you walk through the door!

They sell some fabulous apparel...More details to come about this!

Cold towels and high-fives after class...it's the little things that make me happy!

If you live in Charleston or Mount Pleasant, I have a DEAL for you! Join me for a ride and let's have some FUN!

Here is what you can do:

Text the studio with your name and email and you can get a FREE class!!

Use this PROMO code KATIEBOGO - You'll get one month for $89.00 and a whole other month for FREE. Two for the price of one!

POWER FUEL NUTTZOCOSTCO SIZED - I am plowing through this jar like a champ! YES, NuttZo is being sold at certain Costco locations and this is AWESOME! They aren't here yet in South Carolina, but there is a brand spanking NEW Costco that is opening up a couple of miles from my condo and you better believe that I'm going to put in a recommendation that NuttZo makes an appearance down here in the Lowcountry! Costco is REALLY good at listening to their customers, so if you reach out to them to add NuttZo, there is a pretty good chance it could happen. $14.99 for Organic Crunchy Power Fuel NuttZo is a DEAL...So hurry up and STOCK UP!

RAW ELEMENTS SUNSCREEN - I 100% admit that I am a sun worshipper. I love my Vitamin D. I love to be outside by the pool, by the ocean, and to just be in the outdoors and soak up that salty air. As you know, I love the heat and humidity. I love to come back from a run dripping in sweat. Is it hard running in this heat, heck yeah, but I love a good challenge and since we don't have hills here, so I kind of consider that my hills...Does that count? LOL!

The sunscreen WORKS! It is heavy duty and takes some time to rub in, but it has no chemical smells. It is sweat proof. And a little bit goes a long way. It is packed with biologically active antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and extracts, it continues protecting your skin long after environmental exposure.

The lip balm is the BOMB! It is so good and I only need to use it a couple of times a day. It goes on smoothly. It smells good. It is made with 100% certified organic ingredients.

After years of using harsh chemical sunscreens to meet the protection demands of an ocean lifeguard, founder Brian Guadagno set out to create a natural alternative that actually worked. He transformed his kitchen into a lab, researching and formulating until Raw Elements was born. His mission has always been to create products whose ingredients and performance can be trusted, allowing you to get out into the world and find your nature.

SUMMER READING - I have been in the worst and longest reading rut! I used to read every single night for 30 minutes to an hour and now I can hardly even get through a page, let alone open my book when I crawl into bed. I am blaming it on technology and how I am constantly swiping...Right?!?! I would constantly go to the library and pick up books...Try to start them...Read 10 pages and then return it...SIGH!

BUT...Thank goodness for friends who LOVE to read and have a plethora of book recommendations! My little sister is so good for this. With that being said, I FINALLY stumbled upon the perfect summer read. And it is a series, so there are two more reads that I can jump right into and not have to worry about what to read next. It’s always the little things that make me happy!

I just started this book last week and it is the perfect summer read. It is a page-turner...Great to read by the pool and at night...It is easy, relaxing, and FUN. And at the end of a long day, this is exactly the kind of book I want to read. Reading helps me put my phone away...slow my mind down...relax...and get lost into something that has nothing to do with the social media world.

QUICK EFFECTIVE CIRCUITS - This month my workouts have involved a lot of spin classes at MethodRide...Cardio on the StepMill...Early morning runs...and quick and effective workout circuits. When it comes to my workouts, I always listen to what my body is wanting. Some weeks it is a lot of cardio and other times I want to lift all the heavy things. I just do what works best for me. Here's a fun little one to tackle this week...It's simple, effective, and a full body workout.

Friends...I am so excited to share with you that I am partnering up with Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafehere in South Carolina to help promote the restaurant...talk about their delicious and healthy menu...and share events, happenings, and why I frequent this restaurant twice a week. We spend a lot of time eating here and Shannon actually does their plumbing for both the location downtown and the one in Mount Pleasant, which is the one we go to ALL the time.It is a place where everyone knows our name and it is not a bad thing, I LOVE IT and I LOVE their food.

I was first introduced to Taziki’sthanks to Shannon about a year ago when we first started dating. I remember going after a long hot and humid run one evening sometime in May. I logged in some good miles, ran to his house, and then we drove toTaziki’s. I was a sweaty mess and starving...The story of my LIFE!

The atmosphere in the restaurant is clean, relaxing, inviting, and they have a great outdoor patio, which is always a nice option on those warm not too humid summer nights here in South Carolina. I like to meet friends here for lunch during the week and then Shannon and I typically do takeout on Friday or Sunday nights, because let’s face it, there are those nights toward the end of the week when the last thing you want to do is cook. And I like having a healthy and nourishing takeout option that is a mile away from my apartment.

What I love about the food fromTaziki’sis that there lots of healthy options to satisfy all your taste buds!!! With the warmer temperatures, my body just wants salads, seafood, and lots of healthy fats. So what do I do...I listen to my body and feed it exactly that. My absolute FAVORITE salad to order atTaziki’sis the Mediterranean Salad with salmon. It is so FREAKING GOOD!!! And for those nights, when I am “hangry”, we will split an order of their crunchy seasoned pita chips with a side of tzatziki sauce. It’s perfect for dipping and for digging through that mile high salad.

I am trying to venture out and try their other options as there are so many choices, but I am a creature of habit, and when I know what I want, I go for it. I promise to all of YOU that I will start trying new things because with this new partnership, it is going to be about just that...having fun...and promoting a company that I truly love. All good stuff!!! Maybe next month, I will start trying their gyros!!!

In 1997, Keith Richards and his wife Amy were vacationing in Greece where they discovered small-table Mediterranean cafés where everyone in the community gathered together to connect around healthy flavors and to celebrate life! They enjoyed the food, but also observed a deeper kind of warmth and connection that moved them to say – “That’s what I want to spend my life doing.” But how do you capture the feeling of family and friends around the table and the healthy Mediterranean lifestyle? Inspired, Keith and Amy returned home with a stack of photographs and a vision to import their experience by opening the first of many Mediterranean cafes in 1998. They created a place free from the noise of the world and the fast pace of our busy lives. They created a time to reconnect over refreshing Mediterranean flavors. They designed a menu of interesting flavors real, home-made food. Through all these years, and the addition of new Taziki’s across the country, they became a family of big-hearted foodies committed to making an impact in the community.

At Taziki’s, they embrace the “Mediterranean Lifestyle” which emphasizes:

Eating primarily plant-based foods

Replacing butter with healthy fats such as olive oil and canola oil

Using herbs and spices instead of salt to flavor foods

Limiting red meat to no more than a few times a month

Eating fish and poultry at least twice a week

Enjoying meals with family and friends

Drinking red wine in moderation (optional)

Getting plenty of exercise!!!

I 100% agree with the “Mediterranean Lifestyle” and that is why I love to supportTaziki’s. Make sure to learn more about the restaurantHEREand follow them on their social media channels: